LEGO Friends is Tailor Made for the Girls Who Love to Build

LEGO sets have been a holiday staple for years, but there’s no denying that the brand has always had a reputation for being a boys only gift. As of January 1st, 2012, LEGO is finally looking to change that perception, with their first LEGO Friends sets, LEGO’s first organized effort at marketing their product to girls.

The LEGO Friends are Olivia, Mia, Emma, Andrea, and Stephanie – five LEGO figures slightly larger than the norm that retain the claw-style hands, so they can interact with other LEGO sets, too. LEGO is hoping the new figures will bring a doll-like image to their new sets, made specifically for the LEGO Friends.

Those sets will be tailored to each of the Friends’ interests – there’s a performance stage, a design studio, an outdoor bakery, and an inventor’s workshop. They will all take place in the fictional town of Heartlake City, where LEGO is hoping many girls will find themselves in the years to come.

LEGO wasn’t messing around when making this move, either – the company claims it spent four years researching girls’ tastes in play, particularly in construction toys, in the process of developing LEGO Friends. The first (of undoubtedly many) sets will hit on January 1st, with more to come during the summer. The sets will cost between $6 and $100.